Expansion wrist band



April 22, 1958 J. LEVINE 2,831,227

EXPANSION wRsT BAND Filed May 25. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG.4

INVENTOR.

JULIUS LEVINE BY 2O ATTORN EY April 22, 1958 J. LEvlNE 2 2,831,227

EXPANSION WRIST BAND u,111111111111111111111111111111111111'.-a A\\\ m l5 36 -20 la INVENTOR. 'JULIUS LEVINE BY v X I I n, a

ATTORNEY United States Patent O M EXPANSION WRIST BAND JuliusLevine, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application May 25, 1954, SerialNo. 432,157 1 Claim. (Cl. 24-71) The .invention disclosed,,in.this patent application is a wrist bandwhich can be expanded to get it over the hand and which can then be contracted to properly grip the wrist.

Objects lof the invention are to provide a band of this character which will have simple, practical means for enabling expansion and contraction of the band, which can be produced at reasonable cost fand which will be more or less ornamental and attractive in appearance.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an eX- tensible and contractible band construction which will be light in weight, small in size, compact in construction and by reason of its design, comfortable to the wearer or user.

Other desirable objects attained by the invention and the novel features of construction, combination and relation of parts constituting the invention will be clear from the following specification.

The -drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrate present practical embodiments of the invention, but it will be appreciated that structure may be further modified and changed, all within the true intent and scope of the invention as hereinafter dened and claimed.

Fig. l in the drawings is an edge view of the invention as incorporated in an expansible band for a wrist watch;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged broken detail view of the inside, and Fig. 3 a corresponding view of the outside of the band at the expansion connection;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged broken sectional view of the joint construction on substantially the plane of line 4 4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a broken sectional detail showing how the catch on one strap end may be rocked to release it from the hook on the end of the contracting lever;

Fig. 6 is a broken sectional view similar to Fig. 4, showing the band expanding and contracting lever unhooked and in a partially open condition;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the strap to which the lever is pivoted;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged broken sectional detail on substantially the plane of line 8 8 of Fig. 7, illustrating the pivot pockets for the lever in the end portion of the strap;

Fig. 9 is a broken plan view of a modication in which the hook on the end of the lever is replaced by a crossbar and the catch first shown is replaced by a one-piece construction having a hook for engagement with the cross-bar;

Fig. l0 is a broken sectional detail on substantially the plane of line 10-10 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 1l is a broken sectional view of a modification in which the strap is connected to the free end of the lever by a `snap fastener instead of being secured by a rivet, spring pin or the like;

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the lever last shown;

Fig. 13 is a similar view of the lever rst illustrated.

2,831,227 Patented Apr. 22, 1958 In the general view, Fig. 1, it will be seen that the invention comprises two straps or strap portions 15,16 constituting a wrist band for a watch 17 or other such purpose, and arranged in the closed condition of vthe band -to have the ends of the straps 'held in overlapping relation by a strap extending and shortening Vlever 18 pivoted at 19 to the end of one strap, 16V and having the end of the other strap, 1'5, pivotally connected to the free end of the lever at 20.

Figs. 4 and 6 show how with such a construction .the free endofthe lever may be swung away from the strap on which it is pivoted to extend the end of the other strap a distance substantially equal to the full length of lthe lever and conversely, the lever maybe swung froman extended position to lap the ends of the straps-an amount substantially equal to the length of the lever.

Since the lever thus has the eiect of extendingand contracting the lban-d an amount equal to substantially double the length of the lever, a reasonably short lever may be employed to give the band .all the expansion and contraction necessary to get it over the hand and to close it on'the wrist.

The free end of the lever is releasably held in the strap shortening overlapping relation by a catch shown in Figs. 1 to 6 as a slide 21 on the lever mounting strap 16 held in adjusted relation thereon by a clamp lever 22 pivoted on the slide at 23 and terminating in a hook 24 cooperative with a hook-like abutment 25 on the free end of the lever.

Adjustability of this catch enables the same to be positioned where it will best hold the lever and yet be easily releasable therefrom.

The catch lever 22 is shown as having a pointed abutment 26 thereon adjoining the hook 24, serving as a guide for directing the hooked end of the lever 18 and as a guard, Fig. 4, for retaining the parts in hooked engagement.

The guard ridge or abutment 26 also, as shown in Fig. 5, assists in unhooking the parts when the catch is rocked away from the end of the extension lever.

The strap extending and contracting lever 18 is shown as having lugs 27 at the side edges of the same near the hinge axis 19 to engage over the edges of that portion of the outer strap 1S extending to the end pivotal connection 20, Fig. 6, these lugs serving thus to retain the strap ends in proper overlapping relation, Fig. 4.

,To enable adjustment of the effective closed length of the band there may be provision for shifting the position of the lever pivot 19 on the end of strap 16.

Figs. 7 and 8 show Ihow this strap may be made with pockets 28 across the end portion of the same to receive the pivot bar 19 by reversing and stitching in spaced relation, overlapping layers of the strap end, at 29.

To facilitate this lever pivot adjustment the pivot pin 19 may be supported only at one en-d, as shown in Fig. l2, leaving the opposite end open at 30 so that the pin may be easily slipped into place in any one of the spaced pivot pockets 28.

When the lever pivot is shifted on the strap the catch for holding the free end of the lever should be similarly shifted. To facilitate such adjustment the strap 16 is shown as having indentations 31 to receive the jaw of clamp lever 22 spaced in accordance with the spacing of the pivot loops 28. Thus when the lever pivot is shifted the catch may be shifted to a corresponding extent.

Figs. 9 and l0 illustrate a simplified one-piece form of catch 32 made like a slide buckle but with a curled hook 33 at one end. The extension lever designated 18a in this instance, is shown in Fig. 12 as having a cross-bar 34 at the end to engage the hook 33.

The strap 15 in this case is shown as having a loop 35 at the end of the same engaged about the pivot pin 20 on the free end portion of the lever.

Another method of pivotally connecting the end of strap 15 with the free end portion of the'swinging lever is illustrated in Fig. l1, Where this strap is shown as looped about the pivot pin 20 land releasably secured in that relation by companion elementslof a small snap fastener 36.

The pivotal connection 20 for the end of the strap 15 may be akpin or bar` riveted at both ends, as shown in Figs. l2 and 13, to permanently secure the strap end thereto.

The pin 19 providing the pivotal support for the strap tightening lever may have a head or other form of retainer such as indicated at 37, so that while removable it will not accidentally slip out of the pivot pocket 28.

The straps 15, 16, may be of leather, plastic or other llexible material including such as metal link mesh.

What is claimed is:

Wrist band comprising straps to be secured in a contracted position with ends of the sanne in overlapping relation, a strap contracting and extending lever pivoted at one end on the end of one strap to swing from a position extending from the end of that strap to a position overlying said strap, the end of the other strap being pivoted to the free end of said lever so as to be carried thereby from an extended position spaced from the end of the rst strap to a shortened position overlying the end of said strap by an amount substantially equal to the length of said lever, a catch on said rst strap for releasably securing the free end of said lever in said overlying strap shortening position, said catch and the free end of said lever having companion hook elements, and a guard ridge on the hook element of the catch for releasably retaining the hook elements in engaged relation.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 352,532 Fox Nov. 16, 1886 626,404 Bally a June 6, 1899 911,604 Miles Feb. 9, 1909 1,740,432 Speidel Dec. 17, 1929 1,827,364 Johnson Oct.13, 1931 1,829,493 Armbrust Oct. 27, 1931 1,861,700 Johnson June 7, 1932 Y FOREIGN PATENTS 43,511 Y Germany June 13, 1888 

